WASHOUT ON LINE

Hokitika Guardian, 22 August 1939, Page 6

WASHOUT ON LINE

MrtlN TRUNK BLOCKED.

(Per Press Association—Copyright).

AUCKLAND, August 21

Rearrangements of the schedules of two expresses for Wellington were made at . Auckland to-day because of an extensive washout on the Main Trunk line south of Te Kuiti. The 3 p.ni. train did not leave until 9 p.m., and the Limited express, which usually departs at 7.15 p.m., was held until 10 p.m. Because of the delays and the uncertainty as to when the washout would be cleared, many passengers cancelled their seats.

Originally it was hoped that the damage would be repaired at an early hour this morning, and trains were delayed in order that their arrival at the scene would synchronise with the repair of the washout, thus saving passengers a long wait at the scene. Subsequently it was found that the reopening of the line would take longer than had been anticipated. It was then announced tha^"'trains 1 would proceed to Te Kuiti only and that a decision on the transferring of passengers and mail across the affected section of the line would be made at daylight to-morrow morning. A similar arrangement was made for the two Wellington-Auckhind expresses which were to be held at Taumaiunui until daybreak. When the position became known in Auckland early this afternoon it was decided to solve the difficulty partly by dispatching a relief train to convey passengers to points between Auckland and Te Kuiti. A fairly large number of persons travelled on the relief train, but on account of cancellations there were comparatively few on the later expresses. The first train had between 60 and 70 persons on board. There were about 130 on the Limited express, nearly half of whom were in sleeping compartments. Included among the passengers on both expresses were some travellers who arrived at Auckland W the Monterey, and members of Parliament, including the Speaker (the Hop. W. E. Barnard). washout pccurred-fiye miles south of The,.-earth fell away comparatively ( suddenly soon after a npfijCbdimd.mixed, train'Had passed. A blocked ctilvert-is the cause of the washout. With the exceptionally heavy rains the water blocked up .deeply in a pocket behind a filling, saturated it, and then pushed the filling awafy for a length of two chains. -More than 50 men were were engaged this evening piling up sleepers to take the weight of the lines now sagging into space and replacing the culvert.

TO-DAY’S NEWS

WELLINGTON, August 22

Owing to a wash-out ■five miles south of Te Kuiti at 3 p.m., the express from Wellington, which should have left Tamnarunui at 1.10 a.m. to-day, did not proceed till 9.15. The limited from Welling! on should have left Tfliimarunui at' 4.-3 a.m., but was held iip till 10.15. The 3 p.m. express from ■Auckland .yesterday, and the limited from Auckland were held at Te Kuiti and made into one train which left there at 12.15, and is due here at 10.30 to-night.

The General-Manager. Mr G. Macklev, and the chief-assistant manager, Mr Lusty, left Wellington in a rail-car last night to look into the position.

At the scene of the wash-out traffic is now clear, and normal running has been resumed. Mails were not transhipped, and will arrive at Wellington about 11 p.m. an# be sorted by a special staff.